Every Dog
by witchcat2012
Summary: AU. In which Peabody did get a new family, and all the humour and heartache that came with it. "Welcome home, Hector," (Don't worry, Sherman and Penny appear here too,)


A Friend.

It was my fault we were there. I wanted to see the cats. Even if I couldn't adopt any. We almost didn't go, but after a bit of begging they relented.

We were on a trip to visit my cousins. The cats didn't really seem that interested in me, but more with my Brother, who couldn't move because one decided to plonk down on his lap.

Eventually I got bored and left the cat pen. Maybe I had come on too strong? My books said that cats go to the allergic guys because they aren't so intimidating? Was I intimidating?

I sighed, then started to watch the puppies play with some little kids in the enclosed yard. It was nice.

Then I heard it.

"I don't want this one Mommy, he's sarcastic!"

Sarcastic?

I looked around. Sure enough, there was a little boy pointing at the tiniest dog I'd ever seen. Wearing a tiny red bow tie.

How was that guy not adopted yet? I mean seriously? That pup was adorable! A chihuahua maybe? In a shelter?

"Wait! Come back! Throw the Stick! I'll stay, I'll heel, I'll shake hands!"

Okay...a talking dog.

The news was always talking about a certain increase in talking animals, something about evolution or adaption or something like that. Thankfully there were enough advocates (human or otherwise) to prevent any invasive measures to study.

Still, that didn't explain much. I mean, who wouldn't want a talking dog?

Seriously, I agree with Russel from UP. Talking dogs are cool!

Not to mention that the poor guy looked so sad...

Of course, Dad took that moment to poke my back.

"Time to go,"

"Ten more minutes Dad?"

It didn't seem right to leave, not then.

Dad sighed, but he nodded.

"Thanks!"

Carefully, I plopped down my backpack and squeezed through the gate.

I didn't really know what to do at that point. Comfort him? Tell him it'll be alright? I couldn't adopt him, we lived in another country for Peter sake! But I didn't want to reject him like that.

Maybe I could give him a conversation. Or some encouragement or...I dunno.

All I wanted to do was make him feel better. I couldn't imagine what it was like to be rejected like that. When I do...my chest hurts just thinking about it.

He looked almost scared, with me looming over him, so I sat down and drew up my knees. He glanced down at the ground, then at me.

"H-hi,"

"Hello,"

"So...um...what's your name?"

He looked surprised.

"I-I don't really have one you can call me...Hector, I Guess,"

"Why Hector, like the actor?"

"No!" Suddenly he looked indignant, "he was the best warrior in the Trojan War!"

"Wasn't that Achilles?"

"He was for the Greek side, Hector was for the Trojan side,"

"Didn't Paris kidnap the queen of greec-Athens?"

"Well, yeah but..."

Oops, great, now I hurt his feelings.

"I'm not judging," I said quickly, "it's a nice name, very uncommon,"

"You...like it?"

He smiled.

"Yeah, well, it's kinda reminds me of a farmboy for some reason,"

"Farmboy?" He tilted his head, "oh! I think you're thinking of Hectares, usually used in farming,"

"I was thinking more like a farm boy named Hector, just seems so appropriate, I think it was a name of a side character in a movie I saw..."

I loosen up a bit at that point, so one of my legs kinda fell to the side, and I rested my arm on the other.

"Can't remember which one though,"

"O-oh..."

There was a pause. My other leg fell too, so I was sitting in a crossed position.

"Um..."

Should I mention the stick incident?

Would that bring bad memories?

I got up and began to search around. He glanced at me, tilting his head to the other side.

There! A crooked brown line in the green. I picked it up, the stick was smooth and thick, dry-ish too.

"I-listen, I saw...what happened and, do-do you want to play...fetch?"

"S-Sure!"

"Okay, hold on, um... Do you want to put your glasses away?"

Hector blinked.

"I don't want them to get broken," Great, I was babbling, "You can put it in my backpack!"

I ran to the fence and pulled the pack from the other side.

"I-I can't see very well without them,"

Oh, my shoulders fell.

"Okay then, wanna start?"

He nodded, his legs bent slightly, and his eyes began to dart around, ready.

I drew my arm back, lowered, rubbed the stick on my shirt.

"Sorry, a bit dirty,"

"Okay."

I drew my arm back, aimed...and released!

It pinged on the wall, and fell into the grass again.

Hector hesitated, before running, on all fours, towards the stick. He saw the spot, paused again, got up on two legs, he picked up the stick in his paw like it was a dead fish.

Then into his mouth.

"Blech!

Immediately he spat it out, rubbing his tongue on his arm.

"Just throw it back to me!"

Hector jumped. Then turned to me.

"Come on!"

Hector gulped, then matched my movements and threw it as hard as he could.

It fell about three feet away from him.

I laughed, then walked up to him and picked up the stick.

Ew...dog slobber.

I held it like he did, and made a face. He smiled.

"Maybe we should play another game,"

"What do you have in mind?" He was smiling now.

I was about to say, when I heard growling and turned around. A large pitbull looked up, something black in its mouth.

"Hey, put down that book!" Hector yelled.

It didn't.

"I said put that down! It's mine!"

Hector ran pretty fast for a dog the size of my foot.

Quickly I followed,

Hector ran right up to the dog and began pulling on the edge. He ended up being dragged along with it, he was that tiny.

I glanced down, panicking. Then looked at the stick in my hand. A brilliant idea struck me in the head.

"Here doggy!"

Both stopped.

"Fetch the stick!"

I flung it over to the other side.

Yapping, the pitbull immediately released the book and Hector, who was flung backwards thanks to Newton's laws of physics.

I sighed, relieved.

"You okay?"

Hector adjusted his glasses. Which had gotten a bit askew during the tug of war.

"F-fine," his voice was a bit shaky, "Thanks to you,"

I smiled.

"Time to go!"

I really wanted to swear.

"Coming dad!"

"You're...leaving?"

 _Shiitake mushroom shiitake mushroom shii-_

I looked at Hector, tore my eyes to look at my dad, who looked impatient, as always.

"Dad! C-can I- I want to adopt a dog," I pointed at Hector, "that one!"

...What?

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

...okay it didn't.

* * *

Well, this will be weird.

Fun, but weird.

It's mixed with some real life stuff.


End file.
